by Alex Storey

Created on: January 07, 2011   Last Updated: January 12, 2011

Growing up and reading go hand in hand. Bedtime stories and fairy tales are part of every childhood. Having the story read to you then learning to read yourself, children's literature is for all – adults and academics alike. My favourite three children's books were BEST at different points in my childhood.

The Tales of Peter Rabbit

Peter sneaks into Mr. McGregor’s garden, pinches vegetables and, when chased out, he loses some clothing, which McGregor dresses a scarecrow with. In the second tale, Peter and cousin Benjamin Bunny go back for the clothes.

When Peter Rabbit gets home he is dosed with camomile tea by his mother before she putts him to bed.

These animals walk upright and wear human clothes; they are anthropomorphic, and Peter’s father strayed into the garden of Mr. McGregor once, ending up in a pie!

His sisters, who have been good little bunnies, enjoy bread and milk and blackberries for supper.

Flopsy marries Benjamin and they ask Peter’s mother for some cabbage, as she now owns her own garden.

Beatrix Potter developed a Peter Rabbit board game soon after publication of the book, becoming one of the first people to cash in on such an idea, merchandising children's wallpaper as well.

Potter self-published the first 250 copies of her book The Tales of Peter Rabbit, because all the publishing companies rejected it. They told her to change it to their specifications, but she refused and circulated these first copies among family and friends, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Word got around and Beatrix Potter had to supply the colossal public demand, finally working with publishers, dancing to their tune, changing bits, adding bits, colouring in the illustrations and mass producing her wonderful children's story.

Potter’s anthropomorphic animals had true animal instincts. They behaved like animals, unlike for example Mr. Toad in Wind in the Willows, who behaved like a human - driving cars, dressing up and living in a mansion.

I love this disobedient little rabbit, because it broke with the tradition of the young white boy playing the lead role in children’s literature and now means Beatrix Potter is one of the most successful children's story writers of all time.

Winnie the Pooh

Christopher Robin is Winnie the Pooh’s best friend and wears uneven socks. At the end of the second book, the inhabitants of Hundred Acre Wood throw a farewell party for him, hinting at the fact that he may be off to boarding school. 

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